Egypt's Mufti Dr. Shawqi Allam said protecting homeland and defending its borders are "religious duty".

Speaking at the third session of the International Conference on Fatwa that was held Wednesday in Jordan, the mufti warned that there are fierce attacks aiming at dividing the Islamic nation.

"We should protect our countries as they are," he added.

Reading his paper "Democracy and Islam's stand on them" at the conference, the mufti said that Islam granted full rights, including political rights, for every Muslim.

Every Muslim has the right to choose his ruler, which was known in Islam as "Bay‘ah" or an oath of allegiance to a leader, he added.

He went on to say that democracy, which serves the religion and its objectives, does not infringe on the rights of the nation in preserving its identity and faith. 

He lashed out at democracy that is imposed on the peoples to dominate them, saying this is a new phenomenon of the hateful occupation.

Source: MENA